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In the spirit of streamlining this website, I will be systematically moving archived book reviews and other posts to this section, then deleting the archive. So let’s get started with:The Day of the Jackal, by Frederick Forsyth, stunned me at the end with its resonance.I began reading this novel after Sol Stein recommended it in his book Stein on Writing as an example of structuring a story for suspense.At first, I was a bit confused because so many of the “rules” of writing were violated. A great deal of narrative summary padded the beginning of the book and many uses of the passive voice existed.What made Forsyth’s tale a modern classic and basis for popular movie versions?I wasn’t blown away, but the story and the historical references interested me. So I continued listening to the audio book.Enter the Jackal. At first, this character seemed like a modern anti-hero like so many assassins portrayed as good guys in movies. Forsyth showed him as a skilled professional not to be messed with. When an identity forger tries to double cross him, the Jackal ruthlessly takes him out.A gunsmith treats the Jackal honestly, and the Jackal spares his life. Not every character is so lucky. Let’s just say that at a certain point, I thoroughly turned against the Jackal and wanted him to go down hard for his crimes. Police Inspector Claude Labelle is introduced well in to the story, but quickly becomes a major character. By the end of the novel, I’m cheering him on and growling at everyone who seeks to destroy his reputation.The Day of the Jackal entertains from start to finish, though I found the second half of the book exceptionally good. This is a novel I will read again for enjoyment, but will also study as an example of good writing. Simon Preble performed the audio book. He’s one of the best readers I have listened to, and I devour audio books one after another. 

Photo obtained from JoshHayesWriter.com What are some elements of good, entertaining fiction? For me the list starts with compelling characters, conflict, suspense, and a setting exotic enough that I’d like to go there and have an adventure. Hayes put all these pieces into the story, and I want to see more of these characters and this place they have found. I obtained this as a free advanced reading copy in return for an honest review, and thought I knew the gist of the story before I began, but I was delighted and surprised by the end and can’t wait to read the next installment. I wish I had thought of the science fiction Neverland concept. This series is going places, and should be full of fun. I recommend this story for fans of science fiction / action adventure genres.You can learn more about Josh Hayes and his works on his web page, Josh Hayes Writer.com. He is an active member of the indie writing community and does a lot more than just promote his own books. His site is full of author interviews and book reviews. In fact, I am going to try and get an interview set up up with him soon.Second Star: Breaking Through Kindle Link (I like to use Amazon to see other reviews, download a free samples, and make purchases.)
Josh Hayes, author of Second Star: Breaking Through

Everyone likes #free, right. There was a time, let’s say 2012, when Indie authors were using Kindle Direct Publishing free days to promote books. I was new to the realm of digital self publishing, and gave it a try. The result was about 18,000 downloads of Dragon Badge, an urban fantasy crime thriller, and over 2,000 actual sales. I thought it was pretty neat, since I was ecstatic to have people reading my first book! (Well, not the first I wrote, but the first I published on KDP. I’ve been writing for over thirty years.)Dragon Badge also received fifty-three (53) reviews, with a 4.1 star average. Heady stuff. I assumed all my books would get reviews quickly. Enemy of Man currently has thirteen (13) reviews with a 4.4 star average. I’d like to have more.We know everyone likes free, but maybe deeply discounted is also good?The first thing I noticed when I published Enemy of Man, was that it immediately out sold Dragon Badge. There may be no way to understand the reason, but I think it is a factor of genre and the larger readership of science fiction. To be honest, Dragon Badge doesn’t fit neatly into urban fantasy or crime thriller, but I digress. I also think I learned a lot about writing during Enemy of Man, and the use of a professional editor helped a bunch. (Dragon Badge and Dragon Attack were proofread and edited by several individuals, including a trusted reader with a baccalaureate degree in English literature and a doctorate in education. Dragon Badge is scheduled for a serious re-write and at least one round with a professional editor before I start on book three of the series.)And now to the point of this post; I didn’t do much in the way of free days for Enemy of Man. Why? All the book marketing blogs (and books–I’ve spent a small fortune on “how to market your ebook” material) suggested that the free day strategy had outlived it’s functionality. The biggest problem with giving away free books is that many people, myself included, tend to download more than can be read in a life time.I still have more reviews for Dragon Badge than Enemy of Man. The later book has sold more copies with less promotional effort, but lacks reviews. Were the free days the secret to getting book reviews? Have people become exhausted with reading and reviewing so many independent authors? I’m not sure I will ever have the answer, but I do know I have at least a hundred books on my Kindle account that I won’t have time to read. It is safe to assume many other readers are in the same situation.So where does that leave an indie title?The alternative to glutting the market with free books seems to have become the Countdown Deal. Amazon actually has a Countdown Deal Page, which is more than can be said about free books. I am keen to learn if KDP Free Days or Countdown Deals will boost Kindle Unlimited (KU) downloads of Enemy of Man and Son or Orlan…and dare I say it, the next two books in the series which should be done in 2015.During the last two months, Kindle Unlimited sales have accounted for half my income. Occam’s Razor would suggest that KU must be part of my marketing plan. I think either Free Days or Countdown Deals would increase visibility and improve KU performance as well.Shall I go with Free Days?Or try a Countdown Deal?The winner is, a KDP Countdown Deal starting on October 16th at $0.99. This is the first discount I have done for Enemy of Man for several months. It hasn’t been free for a year. I hope this works.I hope this get some reviews.Several things have changed in my marketing plan during 2014. I spent a significant amount of money on an Orangeberry Blog Tour and a few other promotional sites with good reputations. I have not tried Book Bub, because I was saving that for the day when the series is complete. At that point, I plan to really follow the author marketing best practices and get serious about writing as a career. The results of spending money to promote have been decent. I think having a larger back list will make each dollar spent more effective. So the big change is this; I save ninety percent of my profit for editing and book cover design. What does this mean for Enemy of Man in the free day / Kindle Unlimited experiment?I need your help. Please share the news of the Enemy of Man free day with anyone you know who likes science fiction. October 16th, 2014 Enemy of Man will be $0.99 for a limited time.ENEMY OF MAN – sampleSON OF ORLAN – sampleDRAGON BADGE – sampleDRAGON ATTACK – sampleDIE LIKE A MAN – sample

Yes, I must admit, I am fanatical about George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. How fanatical? I just spent $40 on maps and ordered The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). Now I have to quit eating out for at least a week.Totally worth it.For the last two years I have developed the habit of Googling Westeros maps as I work my way through Mr. Martin’s books again and again, and I am telling you the world is hard to make sense of on a smart phone screen. I haven’t yet obtained my collection of hardback copies. I have all of the Game of Thrones books in audio and ebook formats. Starting next month, I plan to buy a hardback Song of Ice and Fire book a month. Had I done this earlier, I would not have as much confusion with the maps as I sometimes do while driving and listening to the story.Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting my copy of The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). I pre-ordered. I also just learned that J. R. R. Tolkein was a devout Catholic. How did I not know that?

Have you ever heard of the Amazon Top Reviewers? I have, because I’m an author who would desperately love to get their attention, especially if they decide the like my books. A lot of marketing gurus will make a fuss about finding the right reviewer and then sending a polite email asking if they would like to review your book. This is definitely a good practice, or so it seems. Many authors have had good luck. The Amazon Top Reviewers are serious about what they do. They want readers to mark their reviews as useful, which would suggest they would only give honest reviews.I am taking a short break to daydream about all of the top one hundred finding my book and giving Dragon Badge, Dragon Attack, Enemy of Man, Son of Orlan, and Die Like A Man five star reviews.Ah, that was a nice fantasy.Perhaps I would have more luck if I sought reviews (as every book marketing expert suggests). Unfortunately, there is only so much time in a day and I enjoy making up stories more than marketing best practices. Which brings us to the reason we are here today, good reader. I recently left a review for Kinslayer: Book Two of the Lotus War series by Jay Kristoff. Book reviews for traditional and indie authors is something I do whenever I can. Just now, I saw that forty-five people have found my recommendations helpful. Cool beans! My Amazon Reviewer Rank is…not “Top” to say the least. Currently, I’m sitting at 95,717.There are a lot of people doing a lot of reviews! That’s great. To reviewers everywhere, good work! Keep it up! Writers love you.

Photo credit http://www.jaykristoff.com Kinslayer: Book Two of the Lotus War series took Japanese Steampunk farther than the first book (Stormdancer). There were more characters and plot lines. I liked the first book better, but only a little bit. As second books go, this one is worth a read. The visual, auditory, and even olfactory detail of the lands of Shima really is impressive. Every character has something at stake–lives to be lost, honors to regain, sacrifices to make. Kinslayer fits the type of things I read, in that there is danger and death, and the violence involved is not watered down with cliches or falseness.Mortal combat is not pretty. Kristoff makes that very clear. I’m good with that. Lately, I’ve become fatigued with war and violence in fiction. By the end of the book, I was ready for a break. Having said that, I recommend reading it, or listen to it as I did. (I really love audiobooks.) Jennifer Ikeda does a fabulous job narrating Kinslayer (as she did Stormdancer). As someone who has listened to hundreds of audiobooks, I feel like I’m qualified to make a recommendation. Kinslayer is worth the time. I plan to listen to Stormdancer, Kinslayer, and Endsinger when the third book comes out.I would have liked to see more of Budo and Yukiko, and the Gaijin. When they came on the scene in this book, I started to see new landscapes opening up. And there were some interesting settings and characters. I hope for more of the world beyond Shima in the next book.What do you think of Japanese steampunk? I’m dying to know.

As an independent writer, I understand the importance of hiring a professional editor. Thus far, I have used two that greatly improved my work–caught mistakes, made me think, saved me a lot of embarrassment.Finding an editor can be a daunting task. I’ve ran into a few that seemed almost hostile to authors, waging a fear campaign that suggests there are secret agencies hunting any writer who claims to have a reasonable grasp of the English language and story telling. So when I am shopping for a professional editor, I seek a skilled professional with respect for writers and readers. In short, I will be spending a lot of correspondence time with my editor, and I’d like the experience to be pleasant. Both editors that I’ve used, Samantha LaFantasie and BZ Hercules (Beth) are easy to work with and have the ability to correct my mistakes and encourage my development at the same time.Editors I recommend:Samantha LaFantasie edited Enemy of Man and Son of Orlan. BZ Hercules (Beth) edited my newest Urban Fantasy / Horror novel Die Like a Man. Both editors did excellent work for a great price.How I chose BZ Hercules for this project:I wrote Die Like a Man several years ago and kept coming back to it. The plot and the narrative style are intense, the hero flawed, and the stakes as high as they can be in Urban Fantasy. The protagonist has the power to do good or evil, and may be losing his ability to tell the difference.Since this was a new book, parallel to but separate from my previous urban fantasy / crime thrillers, I decided to hire an additional editor while my first editor worked on my science fiction series. I’d seen BZ Hercules on Twitter, and did some research. After browsing her web page intently, I selected the Triangulation Service from BZ Hercules for Die Like a Man. This gave me editing, proofreading, and beta reading all in one package for a great price. Beth was prompt in all correspondence and delivered everything she promised and more. One thing I really liked:She provided two copies of the edits, a raw version and a cleaner, easier to read version with much of the Track Changes finalized. This must have taken her a lot of extra work, but I liked it because it made my review and revision much faster. All I had to do was read the manuscript, change what I wanted, and refer to the original raw edit when I had questions. I emailed her several times, and she answered right away.
Raw Edit of Die Like a Man Clean Edit f Die Like a Man
Where I found peace of mind:With each new editor or proofreader, a writer encounters different opinions and advice. A quick check of the Chicago Manual of Style, and online grammar sites, revealed that BZ Hercules knew her business. The corrections BZ Hercules made were grammatically correct and insightful. I came to embrace them, just as I had learned from other editors and proofreaders. I enjoyed working with BZ Hercules so much:…that I immediately started writing with renewed enthusiasm, confident I had found a true professional I could trust with the labors of my imagination. Thanks for reading my blog. Have a great day, and may everything you read be wondrous.

Over the last few years, I’ve written a lot of posts about novel writing. Most of these have focused on editing or story structure. For years I used organic / seat-of-the-pants drafting methods with heavy revision and editing, but why talk about that. It’s self explanatory. So to improve my craft, I’ve studied structure and posted what I’ve learned. I write in several genres, but prefer science fiction, fantasy, and a mixture of urban fantasy and horror with a dash of crime fiction thrown it. These are the types of things I like to read. Historical fiction is a also particular favorite of mine, though I have not tried to write anything in that genre yet.Science fiction contains several subfields of specialization such as space opera, military, adventure, and even fantasy or horror. I never worried exactly which type of scifi my stories fell into, as I was busy dreaming the adventure to life. There are usually aspects of each subfield in my novels. I am, however, aware that readers of science fiction have standards and preferences. For science fiction to truly be science fiction, it must at least start from what is known about the universe. The speculative technology is imagined or extrapolated from that basis.Recently I began a project to sharpen my skills in this area. I did a Google search for “science fiction for science fiction writers” and was directed to several books on Amazon. I selected numerous titles and put them on my wish list, then started planning when they would fit into the budget. Fortunately for me, I already have of a couple of books on the topic which I read years ago. For the purpose of educating myself in hopes of being a better science fiction writer, I have begun a fresh read of Space Travel: A writer’s guide to the science of interplanetary and interstellar travel.Space Travel is edited by Ben Bova with Anthony R Lewis. As I write this blog and look at the book, I am at a loss for exactly who is the author…such is the way of nonfiction I suppose. Space Travel was copyrighted in 1997 by Ben Bova. Content was edited by David Tompkins and David H. Borcherding, production edit by Jennifer Lepore, design by Angela Lennert Wilcox, and the cover illustration credits go to Bob Eggleton.If I remember correctly from the first time I read this book, it is a good overview of issues that come up when writing a science fiction novel. Part of my mission to improve my science and thus improve my science fiction, will involve more than just reading books, but this is a good place to start. And I thought I would start with somebody with a great deal of credibility. So let me mention a little bit about Ben Bova.This is a quote from the about the editor section of Space Travel: A writer’s guide to the science of interplanetary and interstellar travel:About the editorBen Bova is author of Mars, Moonrise, and more than ninety other novels, nonfiction and instructional books, including The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells for writer’s Digest books. The former editor of Analog Science Fiction and Omni magazines, Bova is the six-time winner of science fiction’s Hugo award for best professional editor. He is president emeritus of the National Space Society and a past president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.This blog post is a book review. It is about becoming a better writer. I’ve just started reading Space Travel and am learning about rockets and some basics of physics. Other topics that are listed in the table of contents include orbit, living and working in space, space industries, space habitats, the moon, advanced spacecraft, the solar system, the stars, starships, the universe, legal aspects, and military uses of space.I hope you’ll join me in this blog in the future and open a discussion about writing in general and also the genre of science fiction. I’m not someone who has formalized training in science and I don’t work in an industry of the scientific nature, so I need all the help I can get.

Photo Credit: http://www.jaykristoff.com Stormdancer: The Lotus War Book One, by Jay Kristoff, has been on my to-read or listen-to list for a long time. Prior to the book’s release, the book cover illustration caught my eye and I read the description. The idea of Japanese steam punk intrigued me in many ways. I’ve never pre-ordered a book because my list of books to read is already too long, but I did put it on my wish list. After the book was released, I kept coming back to it but never quite found the time with so many other things going on—family, work, reading, writing, and getting through life in general. Anyone familiar with my blog or my reviews will know that I’m a big proponent of audiobooks. Part of the reason I like to listen to books is convenience, but I also just really enjoy the medium of storytelling. (Voice actors rock.) So I purchased my audiobook copy and began to listen, even though I was in the mood for crime fiction. I had just finished an excellent novel in that genre. So when I began to listen to Stormdancer, the story was starting with a couple of disadvantages. The newness of the idea and my first impression of the book cover had worn off and I was really in the mood for a murder mystery or crime drama of some sort. The extended courtship of this book definitely paid off. Stormdancer is one of the best books I’ve listen to or read in a long time. It fulfilled my expectations and surpassed them. As with many books of fantasy and other types of speculative fiction, I am often overwhelmed in the beginning by scene setting and world building. Perhaps it is because I read so many books that I have less and less patience for description. Now, that makes it seem like the description wasn’t good in Stormdancer, which is definitely not the case. Storm dancer is a vivid world that is built carefully and thoroughly. It meets one of my main criteria for fiction, in that I feel I can daydream there for extended periods of time. For this to work, there must be interesting and dangerous characters in addition to the world description. Early in the story, the characters take life and the stakes they face increase steadily. Jay Kristoff kept up the pressure until the end of the book, and I found myself lost in the fictive dream. I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series and hope it can match the quality of the first.

Photo Credit: http://www.karinslaughter.com Cop Town is the first book I’ve listened to by Karin Slaughter. I am now a fan for life. The obstacles that Kate Murphy faces on her first day in the Atlanta Police Department in 1974 are intense and she has a lot more to her character than first impressions suggest. I really liked her family and some of their interactions. Kate handles herself well in a time and place where women are definitely treated differently than their male counterparts. It’s almost impossible not to cheer for her as she faces killers and bullies. My favorite character, however, was Maggie Lawson, a five-year veteran of the police department who has the added burden of being part of a family with a long law enforcement tradition. Anyone interested in reading or listening to Cop Town can see how intense in the basic subject matter of this book’s plot from the description, so I won’t go into that. I don’t like to do spoilers anyway. I will say that Slaughter’s research into law enforcement seems to be excellent. Karin Slaughter is now on my top five list of crime fiction novelists. I’ll be reading more books by her. (Kathleen Early did an excellent job narrating this book.)

Charity Parkerson (Author)Hollie Jackson (Narrator)Last week I listened to Inoperative: Cyborg One and probably enjoyed the experience a little too much. Such is the way of well written erotica. Shall we call it a guilty pleasure? The vivid, exciting scenes definitely caught my imagination.Why did I like this story more than other erotica? The answers lies in the characters and the plot. I felt there was something at stake, and that the hero and heroine were going to face the danger.I highly recommend this story for fans of erotic fiction who also want a great story. Charity Parkerson does a great job and I look forward to reading her books (especially more in the Cyborg series).

Photo credit – blogs.publishersweekly.com John Steinbeck published East of Eden in 1952, and considered it his best work. As a Nobel Prize winning novelist, his opinion has serious weight. The story covers two family histories in the Salinas Valley, which is a favorite location of Steinbeck. On that note, I tried to read Tortilla Flats years ago and couldn’t get into it.East of Eden, on the other hand, enthralled me the first time I read it (about ten years ago) and delighted me when I recently listened to the audiobook version. During the first few chapters, I started to wonder if I had changed as a reader during the last decade. I’ve certainly read more and studied the craft of writing with ever increasing intensity.So how was round two of this classic novel? At first I marveled at the amount of physical description and information dump. But then I’d say to myself, “This is Steinbeck! You loved this book the first time. Maybe the draconian rules of writing well don’t always apply, especially for a literary great who clearly knew what he was doing.”Despite my proclivity for reading too much as a writer, I relaxed and enjoyed the show. I’ve only been to the Salinas Valley once, as a child–about the time I started writing, actually. Steinbeck brings the setting to life vividly, and though there is a lot of backstory and general information dumped into the description, it works. Regardless, the first chapter is almost entirely description. Weird, huh?After a time, the characters I remembered from the first time I read the book began to take the stage. Evil Cathy (Kate) Aimes, gullible Adam Trask, wise Samuel Hamilton, and my favorite, Lee the Chinese servant who raises Aron and Caleb, and Abra who loves Lee like a father and struggles to understand the brothers.I loved this book the second time. I plan to read a lot more Steinbeck in the years to come.

I decided to read Blood Skies after enthusiastic recommendations by Danielle Young of the Consuming Worlds blog. When she announced she was hosting a blog tour for the seventh and final book in the series, Vampire Down, I was intrigued. I’ve never been able to jump in at the end of a series, so I picked up a copy of Blood Skies and started reading. My first impression is that Steven Montano has an incredible imagination. My second is that the Blood Skies series definitely fits the dark fantasy genre in all its dramatic glory. Montano put serious effort into world building and character development, and expresses his knowledge of military small unit tactics. The story takes off quick and shows a world changed by a cataclysmic magical event called The Black resulting in humankind’s struggle for survival. Wizards, warlocks, and military commandos battle against vampires and a host of undead

Photo credit: www.colt.com creatures using everything from assault rifles to more exotic devices powered with steam and necromancy. Magic, specifically human magic, is important to the finale. Montano describes the more important tools of the trade in some detail. Given the intensity of the battles Cross and his Southern Claw Alliance squad mates face, weapons and the soldiers who bear them have a short life expectancy. Before long, Cross is racing to save his sister Snow, and also the magical spirit that has lived with him since he was a child (the spirit doesn’t have a name). Not everyone is going to make it home alive.It is hard to describe how many bad things happen to Cross and his companions.In the world of Blood Skies, little is remembered about the past, before The Black. The protagonist, Cross, a warlock assigned to an elite military squad, must find a traitor that has plans to betray humanity to The Old One and the vampire nation. In the end, Cross will determine the fate of mortals everywhere.I enjoyed this book and will be adding the rest of the series to my reading list.(Though I am reviewing this as part of a blog tour and could have obtained a free copy, I purchased the book because I wanted it on my Kindle & Kindle Phone app, and also because I don’t mind spending money on books. The last time I checked, Blood Skies was available for free anyway.)

The Blood Skies series Steven Montano
BLOOD SKIES Blood Skies, Book 1 In the time after The Black, human survivors of the Southern Claw Alliance clash with vampire legions of the Ebon Cities in a constant war for survival. Earth as we know it has been forever damaged by an arcane storm that fused our world with distant realms of madness and terror. Things that once existed only in our nightmares stalk the earth. Now, humanity is threatened by one of its own. Eric Cross, an enlisted warlock in the Southern Claw military, is part of an elite team of soldiers and mages in pursuit of a woman known as Red — a witch whose stolen knowledge threatens the future of the human race. The members of Viper Squad will traverse haunted forests and blighted tundra in their search for the traitor, a journey that ultimately leads them to the necropolis of Koth. There, in that haven of renegade undead, Cross will discover the dark origins of magic, and the true meaning of sacrifice… Experience a dark and deadly new world in the debut novel of the “Blood Skies” series from author Steven Montano. Book 1, Blood Skies is currently FREE on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

BLACK SCARS Blood Skies, Book 2 Something ancient has awoken. Primordial and wholly evil, a living shadow emerges from a prison made weak by the magical cataclysm called The Black. Now the Sleeper stalks the land in search of its old enemies, leaving a trail of madness and destruction in its wake. Eric Cross, a Southern Claw warlock, has been sent to find the Woman in the Ice, the only known means to stopping this evil. Aided by a grizzled ranger and a band of wardens and inmates from a sadistic prison, Cross’ mission will bring him into conflict with an array of foes: the barbaric Gorgoloth, vampire shock troops out of the Ebon Cities, and a cadre of mercenary nihilists called the Black Circle. On a mission that will take him from a lost temple once ruled by insidious wolf sorcerers to the vicious gladiator games of the vampire city-state of Krul to the deadly ruins of an ice city, Cross will play a pivotal role in an ancient conflict whose outcome will determine the future of the world. Return to the world of Blood Skies in this exciting military fantasy adventure! Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

SOULRAZOR Blood Skies, Book 3 The war continues… Eric Cross and his team of elite mercenaries are the bane of the Ebon Cities. Armed with the cutting-edge arcane weaponry of the Southern Claw, Cross and his crew – Black, Kane, Ronan, Maur, Grissom and Ash – have become a veritable thorn in the side of the vampire armies. Now the team is tasked with halting vampire activity near the remote city-state of Fane, where the Ebon Cities have teamed up with a former Revenger in search of a deadly weapon called Soulrazor. To make matters worse, something sinister has happened to Cross, and the key to his salvation is somehow directly tied to the Ebon Cities’ new soldiers: a host of necrotic angels who bear traces of divine power. Cross and his team must travel across a blighted wilderness and do battle with a vile array of enemies as they race not only to save the city of Thornn from total annihilation, but to rescue Cross’ very soul from an enemy more powerful than he could ever imagine…

CROWN OF ASH Blood Skies, Book 4 Eric Cross and his team have been to hell and back, but their journey isn’t over yet. Marooned in the remote criminal city of Blacksand, the only way for the mercenaries to get home is to help a local crime boss protect his territories from the Ebon Cities. To complicate matters, Danica Black is also being hunted by The Revengers, a powerful band of corrupt prison wardens, while Cross himself is trapped in the Whisperlands, a realm of darkness controlled by a cadre of evil mages known as the Shadow Lords. The team will battle their way through corroding wastelands and deadly vampire outposts, but even their considerable skills might not be enough to save them from the cruel machinations of the Shadow Lord’s mysterious master, a malevolent creature who has manipulated their destinies right from the beginning… Return to the world of The Black in Book 4 of the BLOOD SKIES saga! Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

THE WITCH’S EYE Blood Skies, Book 5 A new evil is born. The Ebon Cities have created a deadly new breed of undead called the Witchborn, whose very existence spells doom for the entire continent. To make matters worse, a nihilist cult called the Black Circle has learned of the Witch’s Eye, the source of the Witchborn virus and an item capable of opening a portal to The Black. Eric Cross’s scattered and war-weary team must find the Eye before it’s too late. With the aid of some unlikely allies, the mercenaries will fight their way across the wastelands and challenge the horrors at the edge of oblivion. And before the battle is won Cross and his team will make the ultimate sacrifice, and face one of their own… Return to the world After The Black in Book 5 of the BLOOD SKIES saga! Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

CHAIN OF SHADOWS Blood Skies, Book 6 The barrier between worlds has been broken, and the invasion is about to begin. Eric Cross, burdened by the loss of those who’ve died under his command, must lead his recently reunited mercenary team against the shadow wolf sorcerers known as the Maloj. Bound to dire artifact blades and charged with protecting the Kindred, Cross seeks help from the enigmatic White Mother, leader of the Southern Claw. But sinister forces bring his vessel down in a strange and distant land, and soon Cross and his allies are beset by undead armies vying for control of the deadly region called the Chain of Shadows. Trapped in a desert waste where wielding magic is dangerous and nothing is as it seems, Cross’s team will pay the ultimate price in their battle to finally get home… Return to the world After the Black in this pivotal 6th book of the BLOOD SKIES saga! Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

VAMPIRE DOWN Blood Skies, Book 7 Coming June 27th! Who ever knew the end would come so soon? In this final volume of the BLOOD SKIES series, Eric Cross and Danica Black find themselves facing impossible odds in the desolate ruins of the world they once knew.  Hunted by the mercenary forces of the newly formed East Claw Coalition and desperate to find the elusive White Mother, the two refugees will be pushed to the limits of their abilities and sanity as they struggle to survive. Meanwhile, in the near future, the undead hunter called Reaver searches for the lost city of Bloodhollow, the place where humankind will make its final stand, while the undead of New Koth and the rebellious White Children make their push to end the reign of the Ebon Kingdoms once and for all. As timelines collide and the spider weaves her web, the battle for the fate of the riven world will come to its violent conclusion in the depths of a forgotten city, where unlikely heroes will emerge and hidden evils will finally be revealed…Helpful Links: Smashwords | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Photo link http://www.sfreviews.net/ Last year I discovered the works of science fiction author John G. Hemry (whose pen name is Jack Campbell) and listened to the Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series. It was an honest mistake, and I planned to return to the first series once I finished the second.Dauntless is an entertaining book for several reasons. The protagonist, Black Jack Geary, is thoroughly honorable and dedicated to his duty. He’s a strong hero who wins. The supporting cast either idolizes him as a legend reborn or despises him as a relic of a previous era. In Dauntless, Geary is faced with long odds and must retrain the fleet in forgotten traditions and disciplines. The book is packed with dialogue and internal dialogue. The setting consists largely of “light minutes and hours” from the enemy or destinations. There is plenty of information dump and explanations of how space battles are fought. The theme of the book seems to be how Black Jack Geary is a reluctant hero, an exceptionally moral and honorable hero, and is destined to be the greatest military champion ever.This description might turn potential readers off, as it encompasses several techniques writers are taught to avoid, however, I must say I really enjoyed Dauntless and plan to listen to the rest of the series in audiobook format.